Harrell signed with the Hokies in November, set to play for then-head coach Seth Greenberg, but Greenberg was fired after the season and replaced by assistant James Johnson.

“We’d have loved to have kept him, but (Johnson’s) position is if the young man doesn’t want to be here with us on his own part, then we won’t keep him here,” associate athletic director for internal affairs Tom Gabbard told the Daily Press. “(Johnson) would like for him to be here, but you only get one chance in your life time to play college basketball.”

Though the news is coming to light Thursday, Gabbard says the school released him on Wednesday.

Harrell is a physically gifted and well-built forward who has garnered interest from schools that include Kentucky and Louisville. Prior to committing to Virginia Tech, he was considering schools that also included NC State and Cincinnati.

Gabbard told the Daily Press that Harrell will not be barred from signing with any other institution.

Now with Harrell moving on, the Hokies are left with eight scholarships for this upcoming season. They recently added UNC-Wilmington transfer Adam Smith, but he will need to sit out a season and will be eligible to play in 2013-14.